“The NFL (and other American pro sports) could learn something from a game like cricket. No music. No exploding scoreboards. There’s the game, and discussion in the stands. I realize we’re beyond that. And I may not be in the majority here, and I may be Clint Eastwood in Gran Torino. But I wonder what fans would say if team owners took a poll of all their season ticket holders and asked if they favored music played at 105 decibels between plays. Maybe the fans want it. But I’d bet there’d be nearly 50 percent, if not more, who would say either kill the music or play it at half the volume.

In certain buildings, in certain markets, there is one unmistakable sound that each arena shares in common with each other: the buzz of people talking. Sure there’s some music and other entertainment, but people talking to each other when there’s no action to watch leads to loader voices when there is something to cheer about.